Typical aircraft have onboard systems which communicate with systems on the ground during the course of a flight. For example, an ACARS system on the aircraft sends reports, such as flight plans, over a datalink. Most ACARS traffic occurs when the aircraft is at the gate. Various communication networks, such as satellite communications, VHF, HF, WiFi, or Cellular, can be used to transfer the data. Other systems also support transfer of data (e.g. engine performance data, and software upgrades) through other means such as manual transportation using removable disks (e.g. floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, etc.). Each means of data transfer has its own benefits and disadvantages.
For example, satellite communications are available both when on the ground and during flight. However, the recurring costs of satellite communications are much more expensive than other networks and the delivery rates (e.g. upload and download speeds) are much more restricted than the other networks. Similarly, although relatively inexpensive, the use of manual transportation using removable disks is less effective and more burdensome than other means. Although WiFi and Cellular networks are not available during flight, both offer improvements in cost and delivery rates over satellite communications as well as convenience and effectiveness over manual copying. Therefore, any improvements in establishing WiFi and Cellular networks can provide substantial benefits.